Low Fat Diet

Low Fat Diet

The primary reasons for choosing a low fat diet helps to reduce overall calorie intake and to improve cholesterol levels. Fats plays an useful  role within our body .Fats are an important macro-nutrient required by our body.Fats provide energy, protect our vital organs from injury by forming a protective layer around it, they support cell growth and insulate our body. They are essential for the absorption of fat soluble vitamins and production of hormones.  All foods contain some amounts of fats naturally. But then there are foods that are low in fats and can be added to your daily diet. Fats come into our diet from visible sources - the added fat, and invisible sources - fat that is already present in the food. But did you know that there are different types of fats include:

Good Fats: It is refers to unsaturated fats as found in nuts and oily fish.

Bad Fats:It is refers to Saturated fats and Trans fat they are mainly found in meats and dairy product.

 Fats are essential but get a bad reputation because too much of a good thing is also not good. High fat diets are known to increase the risk of heart diseases, stroke, diabetes and obesity.

Here are the list of low fats foods:

Vegetable and fruits like 

• spinach.

• kale.

• sweet potato.

• apple.

• oranges.

• guava .

• Whole grains and legumes have moderate amounts of fats; moreover, they add healthy fibre, antioxidants and minerals to our meals.

•   Animal-based(protein-rich) foods contain more fat but by choosing low fat dairy, lean meat, white meat and controlling the portion sizes, one can maintain a healthy low fat diet.

Choosing health fats in the right quantities will ensure that you get the benefits without increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases. Moreover, if you are on a weight loss diet, you must know that all fats provide the same amount of calories, so be watchful of your intake of fats. In other words, include foods that are good sources of mono-unsaturated fats for weight loss, but practice moderation.

Good fats like mono-unsaturated fats are associated with lowered risk of high cholesterol, heart diseases and stroke. The best sources of mono-unsaturated fats are peanut, rice bran, olive and canola oils. MUFA is also found in almonds, walnuts and seeds. So make sure you include more such fatty foods in your diet, but in moderation. Other types of good fats like poly-unsaturated fats (omega -3) are essential for vital body functions. Fatty fish like salmon and tuna, and walnuts are good sources of poly-unsaturated fats.

Saturated fats come from butter, ghee and coconut oil; therefore, use them judiciously. A better choice would be low fat dairy and nuts and seeds that along with sat fats also give healthy nutrients. Fish lean meat, chicken breast and eggs are also good sources of saturated fats, which our body needs too. However, Trans fats are a big no. Eating food cooked in oil heated to smoking point repeatedly, non-branded bakery products like mathi, rusk, namkeens are some sources of Trans fats.